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Belkin’s new wireless charger tries to do what AirPower promised
Wireless chargers are available almost everywhere now, but they're finicky. Belkin’s TrueFreedom Pro Wireless Charger is a charging mat that sidesteps the issue of having to precisely position your devices, by stacking 16 Charging coils across the mat.
The best wireless charging station now that Apple AirPower is dead
By Nick Guy This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to wireless charging stations now that Apple AirPower is dead. Apple's never-released AirPower charging station was an embarrassment for the company; it was the rare product that Apple announced, then cancelled before it could be released. But with so much interest in an all-in-one wireless charging station for an iPhone, an Apple Watch, and AirPods, accessory companies have stepped in to fill the void. Having tried them all, we think Mophie's 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad is the best. If you have an iPhone, an Apple Watch, and AirPods with a wireless charging case, you may want to charge all three on a daily basis, and the Mophie 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad is the best option to do so wirelessly. An indentation in the shape of the AirPods case means you don't have to fuss with lining up the AirPods, and the grippy edge prevents your phone from moving around, even if it vibrates with notifications. Plus your watch will charge in landscape orientation so that you can utilize Nightstand mode and keep the time displayed. It charges everything just as quickly as the competition, but the design is both more attractive and more thoughtful. No other charging station offers any combination of better features, and they all cost about the same. If you (gasp) don't have AirPods or would rather have the ability to charge a second phone—your partner's or a work phone, for example—we recommend the Zens Dual+Watch Aluminum Wireless Charger. While you can still charge AirPods, this flat design allows you the freedom to swap in whatever Qi-compatible device you choose. But if you do have AirPods, it's less convenient since it can be hard to align the case just right, and the elevated Apple Watch charging puck isn't as handy if you use the watch as an alarm clock.
Apple might have disabled bilateral wireless charging on its new iPhones
Apple's new iPhones may include a hidden feature. Citing "reliable sources," frequent Apple leaker Sonny Dickson says all three new iPhone models include the necessary hardware for bilateral charging, a feature that would allow the phones to wirelessly charge other Qi-compatible devices such as the Apple Watch. Apple, however, has reportedly disabled the feature within the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max's software. Dickson doesn't say why the company did this, which adds another wrinkle to an already interesting saga.
Apple is selling Mophie's new AirPower knock-off
Apple wasn't quite able to make its promised AirPower wireless charging pad work. It canceled the project 18 months after announcing it. Its goal was to let you charge several devices at once using a single pad. However, where Apple failed, Mophie may have succeeded.
Apple cancels AirPower after more than a year of delays
It's been well over a year since Apple first announced AirPower, a wireless charging mat that would power up an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods (with a wireless case) all at the same time. At the time, Apple said the device would be available sometime in 2018. But after its announcement in September of 2017, information was scarce, and it seemed Apple couldn't solve the heating and power challenges necessary to finalize the product. Now, Apple's pulling the plug for good.
What to expect from Apple's iPad and Mac event
The last time we trekked to an Apple event, the company showed off three new phones that everyone saw coming a mile away. That's not to say the XR, XS and XS Max were in any way lacking; it's just that the leaks told us a thorough story of some logical upgrades to the stuff we got the year before. You can always count on Apple to regularly release new phones, but the same can't be said of other kinds of Apple hardware. That's what makes the company's next launch event (in Brooklyn, for whatever reason) so interesting. Once again, we have a pretty good idea of what it plans to show off, thanks to months of rumors and supply chain intrigue. This time, though, Apple seems set to deliver what some die-hard fans have wanted for years: meaningful updates to Macs that have largely gone neglected (oh, and some new iPads, too). The show starts in earnest at 10 AM on Tuesday, October 30th, and we're getting ready to bring you as much coverage from the ground as we can. In the meantime, though, let's take a closer look at the things we're pretty sure Apple plans to show off and dig into why they're so important.
Your phone can wirelessly charge Huawei's new AirPod-like Freepods
Apple's stumbles with wireless charging could be Huawei's gain. The Chinese tech giant's upcoming Freebuds 2 Pro truly wireless earbuds look an awful lot like Apple's AirPods and in a twist, their battery case can supposedly be charged via the forthcoming Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro, according to marketing materials obtained by WinFuture (translated).
Apple's AirPower wireless-charging mat is still MIA
Apple unveiled its AirPower wireless-charging mat at its iPhone event last year, promising a way for those with multiple Apple devices to be able to wirelessly charge them all at the same time. The company showed how an iPhone, an Apple Watch and a set of AirPods could all be tossed onto the mat to charge simultaneously, noting that AirPower would be available sometime in 2018. But a year later we still don't have it, and today as Apple showed off its latest round of iPhones and the Apple Watch Series 4, there was not a single mention of AirPower. And the device has largely disappeared from the company's website.
A year without Apple's wireless-charging mat
At Apple's iPhone event last year, the company announced its AirPower charging mat -- a device that promised a way to wirelessly charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods all at the same time. But 12 months later, Apple still hasn't delivered on that promise, and we've been left twiddling our thumbs and charging our Apple devices with cords like schmucks. Today you'll be able to follow our liveblog to see if our wait is finally over, but in the meantime, here are a few instances over the past year where the lack of AirPower was both glaring and egregious.
What to expect from Apple’s 2018 iPhone event
After last year's iPhone X introduction, you'd think anything Apple would unveil at its September 12th "Gather Round" event would be anticlimactic. Not so -- if anything, it could be one of the company's biggest launch events in recent memory. It's likely that Apple will announce three new iPhones, not to mention the first substantial changes to the Apple Watch design since its 2015 debut. And then there's a myriad of potential announcements beyond that, such as an iPhone X-inspired iPad Pro, the long-delayed AirPower mat and new AirPods. It's a lot to take in, but we're here to separate the wheat from the chaff and give you an idea of what Tim Cook and crew will reveal when they take the stage.
Apple's AirPower wireless charger could launch around September
Apple's iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are the company's first devices to include wireless charging support. Back when they announced last September, Apple also said it would be releasing its own wireless charging mat, called AirPower. This wasn't like every other mat out there, though, in that it could charge multiple devices at once -- an iPhone X, Apple Watch Series 3 and a set of AirPods, for example. The AirPower was given a vague 2018 release date, but according to sources speaking to Bloomberg, development of the mat has been marred with issues. Apparently it was expected to be on sale by this month, but is now likely to hit shelves around September, probably with the AirPods wireless charging case in tow.
Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat could launch in March
Apple may be close to launching another one of the numerous products it teased last year. Sources talking to both MacOtakara and the Apple Post have claimed that the company's AirPower wireless charging mat should ship sometime in late March, about half a year after its September premiere. This would reportedly include the wireless charging case for AirPods, too. You might have to buy the case directly from Apple if you're upgrading an existing pair of earbuds, but multiple stores would sell a version of the AirPods with the wireless charging case included.
Apple's AirPower tech wirelessly charges multiple devices at once
Apple isn't just adding Qi wireless charging to its latest iPhones; it's trotting out a charging standard of its own. AirPower is built in partnership with Qi, but can top up multiple devices at once. At the September 12th presentation, Apple illustrated AirPower topping up an iPhone X, an Apple Watch and AirPods (with a new charging case) all at once. That's more than a little handy if you're traveling and would rather not lug around multiple adapters and cables. However, you'll have to wait to try it out.
Starr Labs AirPower, Missing Link adapters take MIDI into the wild world of wireless
Ah, MIDI. How we love thee. You're older than dirt itself, but still totally relevant -- something we could only hope to one day be. But now, it's time to make a move. A move to a world where copper wires and insulated cabling aren't necessary. A world where wireless rules. Create Digital Music has a new report out on two of the most prominent options when it comes to wireless MIDI, with the both of 'em distributing bleeps and bloops over totally different airwaves. The Starr Labs AirPower relies on a proprietary 2.4GHz communications protocol, enabling MIDI guitarists to finally get their groove on without worry over cable ejections. 'Course, with a $425 (upgrade) / $250 (MIDI-only) price tag, it's far from being affordable, and that $250 dongle is needed in addition to the $425 adapter for any instrument not made by Starr. The Missing Link relies on traditional WiFi waves, enabling phones and tablets to easily tap into its potential. You'll need to be aware that even the slightest bit of WiFi interference could ruin a live gig, but at just $150 (limited first run), it may be worth the risk. Head on past the break for a live demonstration of the latter, and tap that via for more dirt on the duo. Update: We've been hit up with some information to clarify pricing on the AirPower. Check out the details after the break.
